Story: Fishing industry

Page 6 – The Quota Management System

A new system

By the early 1980s, with dwindling inshore stocks and too
many boats, the New Zealand fishing industry and the
government realised that a new fisheries management system
was needed. Measures such as moratoriums and controlled
fisheries failed to work. The common warning that ‘too many
boats are chasing too few fish’ was rephrased by one
fisherman as, ‘too many boats chasing no fish’.

Radical thinking emerged. For decades fishing had been
dominated by the belief that the sea teemed with fish, and
that stocks could not be affected by fishing. As catches
dropped alarmingly such views were abandoned. Fisheries
management began to adopt a revolutionary approach – instead
of controlling fishing methods and the number of boats the
goal became limiting how many fish were caught.

In October 1986, after two years of consultation and
planning, the Quota Management System was introduced, with
widespread industry support. When fishers became aware that a
quota system was to be introduced, they increased their
activity – quotas (how much fish a person or company is
allowed to catch) were allocated on the basis of catch
history.

How the quota system works

Previously the fish in the sea could be caught by anyone
who had a licence and complied with other regulations. Under
the quota system a sustainable total catch or harvest of fish
was set. Individuals or companies were allocated the right to
catch certain quantities of particular species. Quotas became
like other forms of property – they could be leased, bought,
sold or transferred. While there has been much tinkering with
the system, its basis remains the same.

Each year scientists and the industry together assess the
population of all major fish species. Set quotas (in
kilograms) are allocated annually to individuals or
companies. In theory no one is allowed to catch more than
their quota, and all the quotas add up to the total allowable
catch. In practice, as fishers cannot control how much their
nets scoop up, they can actually catch more than their quota
– but this has to be paid for.

In some fisheries non-commercial use is significant (for
example, by Māori harvesters and recreational anglers) and
this is taken into account before the total allowable catch
is set.

Species under the system

Since 1986 the Ministry of Fisheries has steadily been
bringing all commercial species under the management of the
quota system. In 2005 there were some 93 species (or groups
of similar species) managed under the system. Species were
further split into about 550 distinct stocks based on where
they occur.